Fairer climate finance to be key priority.
Climate Action Secretary has set out her intention
to attend the COP31 UN Climate Summit in Turkey next month where
she will call for fairer global climate finance and more funding
for loss and damage.
Championing climate justice, Ms Martin intends to highlight the
importance of global action, alongside the need for increased,
fairer and more accessible finance for affected communities. This
includes support for locally led action that puts women, disabled
people, and Indigenous Peoples at the heart of climate solutions.
The Scottish Government has already delivered £36 million for
climate justice, including £10 million for loss and damage, in
the last parliamentary term.
Ms Martin will also:
- highlight Scotland's expertise and leadership in
community-led climate action, including at the Subnational
Investment Forum and the Regions4 Board of Chairs meeting
- call for reform of the global debt system, which prevents
climate-vulnerable countries from investing in resilience
- work with partners in the Global South to help amplify their
key priorities in the negotiations
- demonstrate leadership on climate justice in how we are
strengthening protection for people and livelihoods through loss
and damage, adaptation, and disability inclusion events
Ms Martin said:
"Communities in the Global South have done the least to cause the
climate crisis but are undoubtedly facing its worst impacts. That
is why the Scottish Government will continue to champion climate
justice, increasing our Climate Justice Fund from £36 million in
the last Parliament including our world-leading focus on
addressing loss and damage - to support communities in the Global
South.
"Unsustainable debt repayments are stopping those in the Global
South investing in health, education and infrastructure, and the
global finance architecture must change if we are going to
increase climate resilience. As President of Regions 4 and
outgoing European co-chair of the Under2 coalition, my priority
is to build international capacity, share learning and offer
support to our partners in the Global South where climate finance
is needed the most.
, advocacy lead for Stop
Climate Chaos Scotland, said:
It is important that Scotland is represented at COP31 at
this critical juncture for climate action. Across the world
the impacts of climate change are devastating lives and pushing
the people least responsible for causing the problem deeper into
poverty.
As the first developed country to pledge funding for climate loss
and damage, Scotland can continue to play a leading role by
working with other sub-national governments to grow support for
the most vulnerable countries. Small nations can play an outsized
part in advancing international climate action.
Mark Barrell, Director of Advocacy, CBM UK-Global Disability
Inclusion, said:
Scotland's leadership on climate justice including understanding
that it cannot be achieved without disability inclusion is
welcome. We welcome Scotland's attendance at COP31 to advocate at
a global stage for fairer funding for people most affected by the
climate crisis and to support the disability movement,
particularly from the Global South to secure greater
representation at the global level.
We welcome the Scottish Government's leadership on delivering
disability-inclusive climate justice programmes through its
Climate Justice Fund.
Background
The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) will be
held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026.
